Imagine possessing $10 million, seemingly a ticket to happiness. However, the most precious elements—love, peace, joy, contentment, meaningful relationships, and eternal life—transcend material wealth. True riches, as advised in 1 Timothy 6:17, come from trusting God, who generously provides beyond the uncertainties of riches.
Though I remember walking down the church aisle at a tender age to give my life to Jesus, many years have passed, and I’m still learning what it means to seek God wholeheartedly, surrender to Him, and do what He says. The wealth of knowledge derived from God’s Word, coupled with the experience of His presence and surrendering my will to His, have taught me the significance of obeying and trusting God’s way above my own.
Centering our lives on the riches Jesus offers ensures our needs and extras—spiritual fulfillment, purpose, and informed well-being. Pursuing true heart riches transcends material limitations, deepening our relationship with the One who gave all for our abundant life (John 10:10). Seeking God wholeheartedly, surrendering our will to His, and prioritizing service to Him unlock enduring treasures.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Simon Lehmann
1. How to Seek God with All of Your Heart
When love captures the heart, the profound longing to be with the beloved consumes every thought — every moment spent on eager discovery, drawing near, and cherishing every aspect. Similarly, the pursuit of God echoes this intensity. Addressing His people, God conveyed,
'You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.' - Jeremiah 29:13
Just as the heart is wholly captivated in a love affair, so does seeking God, which requires a fervent, wholehearted pursuit. In seeking a richer relationship with Jesus, pursuing God with all your heart is foundational. This means dedicating time to prayer, meditation on Scripture, and deepening our understanding of His teachings. As we contemplate the eternal values emphasized in the Scriptures, such as love, peace, and joy, our hearts align with the spiritual treasures that transcend material abundance.
Seeking and knowing Him yields enduring riches - peace that prevails through life’s storms, joy that persists through sorrows, confidence in God’s unwavering care, and the assurance of an eternal promise in heaven.
Growing closer to Jesus comes by deepening our connection through His living and eternal, enduring Word (1 Peter 1:20). Seeking and growing in the knowledge of Jesus builds a firm foundation for a closer relationship with Him. And the more we know Him, the more our transformation mirrors His divine qualities. In our daily lives, experiencing heavenly moments with Jesus through immersion in the Word of God, prayer, and the beauty of His presence becomes a source of longing, echoing Joshua's desire. Just as Joshua lingered in God's presence after Moses spoke with Him face to face (Exodus 33:11), we, too, crave more of these divine encounters.
Prioritizing Jesus in our daily routine prompts us to carve out intentional time amid our busy schedules. As we seek God continually by setting our hearts and minds to really know God, we will find Him, as promised: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/FotoMaximum
2. How to Surrender Your Will to God's Will
Human nature craves control, convinced that we know the best timing and resolutions for various situations. Yet, in these moments of arrogance, we often witness the aftermath of broken relationships, job losses, and health issues beyond our control. However, God reigns supreme over all circumstances. One sweet elderly lady parishioner said, “There are no coincidences, only God-incidences.”
God's ways often challenge conventional wisdom, introducing profound reversals—declaring that the first shall be last, the humble will be exalted, and giving is more blessed than receiving. Surrendering to God’s will involves another reversal -
“Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for My sake will find it.” - Matthew 10:39
Peter, intimately familiar with the importance of surrender as a devoted follower of Jesus, conveys this mindset in 1 Peter 4:1, stating, "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin." He further emphasizes in verse 2 that this attitude leads to a life directed not by earthly desires but by God’s divine will. Peter’s example was simply following and trying to emulate the example of Jesus in Matthew 26:39:
“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me yet not as I will but as you will.’”
Surrendering our will to God’s will is an act of worship that transforms our thinking processes so we will successfully “ test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will,” as Romans 12:10-2 says. Charles Spurgeon said it well: “Joy is the flag that is flown from the castle of the heart when the King is in residence."
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Priscilla Du Preez
3. How to Obediently Serve God
Serving God first means prioritizing our actions and decisions based on His principles. As we do, making God’s Kingdom a priority assures us we will have everything we need to live - clothes, food, and provisions, because “our heavenly Father knows that you need them” (Matthew 6:32). And it continues in verse 33 with the promise:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Serving from a heart filled with love for God is intricately linked to obedience, a commitment to sacrificial service, mirroring the selfless love demonstrated by Jesus through obedience: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). Following Jesus, leads us to serve.
Jesus didn’t come to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45), as shown by His act of washing the disciple's feet. This humble gesture, recorded in John chapter 13, verses 1-17, showcases the divine God incarnate, who descended to earth, donned human flesh, and triumphed over sin and death. Remarkably, Jesus, the Master and Teacher, chose to serve His ordinary, sinful disciples who lacked understanding. Instead of receiving their service, He took on the role of a servant.
It's worth noting that Jesus didn't choose a symbolic yet cleaner part of their bodies; rather, He washed their dusty, smelly feet. This act wasn't just about physical cleansing but served as a weighty example of selfless love and service. In verse 15, Jesus explains,
"I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."
He encourages His followers to love and serve others, even in challenging circumstances. This act of foot washing illustrates a powerful lesson: true greatness lies in humble service. As Jesus emphasizes in verses 16-17, no servant is greater than their master, and those who follow this example will be blessed. Jesus's act is a timeless reminder of the call to love and serve others.
Obedience extends beyond mere adherence to commands; it encompasses loving God with a seeking heart, surrendering fully to Him, and willingly serving His Kingdom and purposes. This sacrificial giving on our part is met with a divine promise – the more we give, the more we receive of God's abundant riches. In this dynamic, we recognize that we can't outgive God, as His blessings overflow in response to our obedience and devotion.
A Final Thought
Paul’s writing to the Ephesian church of Gentile believers who were grafted into the body of Christ (we are included) recaps these points of wholehearted seeking, surrendering to His will, and serving out of love and obedience. We will know the sweet presence of Jesus, His glorious riches that become strength and power in our inner being as He dwells in our hearts and builds maturing faith until we are filled with HIm! Would you join me in this prayer?
“I pray that out of his glorious riches, he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19).
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Zinkevych
Originally published Monday, 04 March 2024.